Crank



(No Model.) 2 sleeps-sheet 1.

W'. E. GARE.

CRANK. 7 No. 546,520. Patented Se -17, 1895.

ITED S A -R S:

P TEN omea WILLIAM E. GARD OF BROOKLYN, YORK.

CRANK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,520, dated September 17, 1895.

Application filed July 13,1895. serial 110555.829. in. model.)

To all whom it may concern.- 7

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. GARD, a

aitizen of the United States, residing at Brookyn, in the county of Kings and State of New fork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cranks; and I do hereby de: :lare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it 9 appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to cranks, and particularly to two-part cranks for bicycles and other vehicles, and is an improvement upon the crank disclosed in a patent granted to moon '5 July 16, 1895, No. 542,885.

My invention consists in the novel means employed for retaining the bearing-cones of a the ball-bearings in which the crank shaft runs in proper relation whenthe parts of the crank are drawn out of the crank-bracket, so that the balls are held between said cones, and in the novel means employed for drawing apart the sections of the crank-shaft.

The objects of my invention are, first, to :5 provide means for retaining in proper relation the bearing-cones of a two-part crankshaft, so that when either section of the crankshaft is removed from the crank-bracket the Jalls will be retained between the bearing- :ones; second, to provide means for drawing .he sections of the crank-shaft apart, and, 'ird, to make the crank strong, durable, sim- Ere, easily put together and taken apart, and lnexpensive. ,5 In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the crank-bracket and of the bearing-cones and the sleeve which incloses the ends of the crank-shaft sections. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the crank-bracket and shaft, taken on the lines a: as of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an elevation of one of the crank-sections, with the bearing-cones thereon, removed from the crank-bracket, showing how the bearing-balls are held between the cones when the crank-sections are removed from the crankbracket.

In the drawings, 1 is the crank-bracket, which is of ordinary construction.

2 and 2' are the crank-arms, which are secured to the crank-shaft sections 8 and 3', which together form the crankshaft. The

ends of these sections 3 and 3 are provided,

with suitable interlocking tongues, forming, substantially, a mortise-and-tenon joint, so thatfthe shaft-sections are caused to revolve 5 together. V

Bearing-cones} and 4. are secured to the shaft-sections 3 and 3. These cones face outwardly. Other bearing-cones 5 and 5' screw into the endsof the crank-bracket 1 and face inwardly. Between the cones 4 and 5 and 4' and 5 are placed the bearing-balls 6. A sleeve 7 surrounds and fits closely to the crank-shaft sections 3 and 3 stiffening the joint between said shaft-sections and preventing any possi- 6 ble wabbling at the joint. For this purpose the sleeve need extend but little beyond the joint in the shaft; but I prefer to have the sleeve extend the whole distance from cone 4: to cone 4', so that it serves to prevent any un- 70 screwing of the cones. The sleeve 7 may be shorter, however, and lock-nuts may be used to hold the cones in place.

So far as thus described my crank is the same as the crank shown and described in my 7 above-mentioned patent. My invention differs from the crank of my former patent, however, in that there are on the crank-shaft section collars or shoulders 8 and 8', outside of but in close proxirnity to, so as to be adapted to engage with the outside bearing-cones 5 and 5 respectively. As shown in the drawings, the boss of the sprocket-wheel 9 constir tutes the shoulder 8'. With this construction, when either outside cone 5 or 5' is unscrewed 85 it comes in contact with the shoulder 8 or 8 upon the crank-shaft, and so draws its crankshaft section out of the crank-bracket and away from theother section of the crank-shaft, thus making it very easy to remove either section of the crank-shaft; also, as the cones 5 and ,5 can be unscrewed only a very little before they come in contact with their corresponding shoulders 8or 8 on the crank-shaft the cones cannot be moved so far from the 5 corresponding inner cones as to leave space sufficient to permit the escape of the bearing balls 6. Therefore when either crank-section is removed from the crank-bracket inthis manner the bearing-balls remain within the crank-bearing and cannot be lost. This facilitates the cleaning of the crank-bearings, as the sections of the crank-shaft may be removed one after the other and plunged into keroseneoil or other fluid, which will dissolve the gummed oil and other substances with which the bearing is clogged, and this may be done without the necessity of separating the bear- 5 ing-cones and without removing the balls from the bearing. If, however, it is desired to remove the balls from thebearing, or to remove the bearing-cones from the crank-shaft, this may be done by unscrewing the inside cones 1o 4 and I, which is now possible, since the sleeve 7 will either remain in the crankbracket when the shaft-sections are drawn apart or may be readily removed from the end of the crank-shaft section.

1 5 To facilitate the screwing up and unscrewing of the crank-cones 5 and 5, there are provided in the ends of these cones depressions 11, into which may be placed the end of a pin or key 12, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,)

2 long enough to engage with the crank-arm 2 or aspoke of the sprocket-wheel 9, so that when the crank is revolved the bearing-cone must revolve with it. By this means a wrench for adjusting the bearing-cones may be entirely 25 dispensed with.

The method of assembling the parts of my crank and of separating or putting together the two sections of the crank is as follows: The collar 8 and sprocket-wheel 9, the central o boss of which forms the the second collar 8', are secured to the crank-shaft sections 2 and 2' in any suitable manner. The outside cones and 5 are then placed upon the crank-shaft sections and pushed home, after which the in- 3 5 side cones e and t are screwed onto the shaftsections, the bearing-balls being placed between the bearing-cones before the inside cones I and 4 are screwed home. The cones 4 and 4: should be so placed upon the crank- 0 shaft sections that when these sections are together the sleeve 7 will just be in contact with the cones 4 and 4', adjustment of the bearings being effected not by the cones 4 and 4' but by the cones 5 and 5. After the parts of the bearing have been assembled in this manner the sleeve 7is placed over one of the shaftsections and the two shaft-sections are placed within the crank-bracket, their ends interlocking. A pin 12 is then placed within the recess 11 in the cone 5, and the crank-arm 2 is turned until it engages with this pin, after which it will cause the cone 5 to rotate and will screw the same into the crank-bracket 1. The cone 5 is screwed home until the bearing is sufficiently tight. In a similar manner the cone 5 is screwed home, and as these cones 5 and 5 are screwed into the ends of the .upon the oblique surface of bearings thereby produced forces the sections of the crankshaft together and prevents any possible looseness thereof.

Having thus completely described my in vention, whatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a crank, the combination, with two crank arms and two crank shaft sections secured each to one of said crank arms and having ends adapted to interlock, of independent bearing cones mounted upon said crank sections and facing toward the crank arms, other bearing cones suitably supported and adapted to engage with said first named cones and facing toward the center of the crank shaft, bearing balls inolosed between said cones, and collars or shoulders upon said shaft sections, outside of but in close proximity to and adapted to engage with said last named cones, whereby the bearing balls are at all times retained between the bearing cones, substan- 0 tially as described.

2. In a crank, the combinatiom'with two crank arms and two crank shaft sections secured each to one of said crank arms and having ends adapted to interlock, of independent bearing cones mounted upon said crank sections and facing toward the crank arms, other bearing cones screwing into the crank bracket and adapted to engage with said first named cones, and facing toward the center of the crank shaft, and collars or shoulders upon said shaft sections, outside of but in close proximity to and adapted to engage with said last named bearing cones, whereby, when said cones are screwed into or out of the crank bracket the shaft sections are drawn together or pulled apart, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ICC

WILLIAM E. GARD. WVitnesses:

HARRY M. MARBLE, Ii. A. CAsE. 

